A Step-by-Step Guide to Getting Ready for Your 2018 Events

You're in the process of refining your 2018 schedule, or you've booked your brand into all possible events for the year - so what should you do next? We're here to guide you through the process with our step-by-step guide to event preparation.

If you haven't booked your brand into events yet, then what are you waiting for? Go ahead and do that first, as a lot of festival and summer event bookings close in January and February each year. You can read more about why you should be attending events in our article "What Can Live Events Do for Your Brand?" by clicking here.

1. Planning and Preparation

Establish the when, where, and how much - the timings, location and budget for the event.

Pick your event team and establish the work hours, including the schedule for set up and breakdown. Perhaps you might need to hire extra staff, or an agency like us to help with various aspects of the event.

Next, what are some things you might want to do at the event to engage your potential customers, if the type of event you're attending might be a good fit for that? You can host a game, competition, interactive activity, or create some other type of data capture exercise.

Finally, make sure you have all the necessary permits, passes, accreditation, and have submitted your health and safety and any other required documents.

2. Marketing

Get the word out, even before you set foot at the venue - it can be as important as doing it during and after the event. Put this on social media, and even include it on your website or blog. You can also advertise your event attendance through platforms like Eventbrite, depending on the scope and type of the event.

Don't forget to shout about the event on the day and after it's happened as well!

3. Day of the Event

You made it! You're here.

By this stage, everyone should know what they're doing, when, and where, so everything should go smoothly. Just in case, give yourself plenty of time to complete each task, such as travel, set-up, and stock check, for example, in case anything gets delayed.

4. Evaluation

Don't forget this often neglected final step. Even if it's a few days late, an event evaluation can be very beneficial for your future event plans and can foster success.

Also remind yourself to follow up with your leads from the event, and anyone else you may have spoken to at the show you attended, especially those you spoke to in person. You'd be surprised at how few people actually follow up with an email post-event, so it's another opportunity to make a good impression.

Are you looking for help at an event or to launch an experiential marketing campaign? We're here to make your brand stand out. Check out our previous projects at http://www.quirky-group.co.uk or get in touch on hello@quirky-group.co.uk

Want to know more about optimising your return from events?